The development of the modern industrialized world could be interpreted as a series of jumps, rather than a continuous line of development.

First, the bad news. The world is running out of scarce resources and none will be left for our children. The seas and rivers are polluted, and the air we breathe is toxic.

When we were at St Andrews, a group of us used to play word games in the Union Bar. One was Tom Swifties, then called Tom Swiftlies.

Rent control is back under consideration in many cities, even though it is one of the most damaging economic policies ever devised.

Natural England is often criticized for being slow, bureaucratic, and inefficient in decision-making, delaying projects related to land management, farming, and development.

The question is sometimes raised to cast doubt on the value of economic growth. 

Some analysts put the ‘Golden Rule’ at the heart of ethics, saying ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’

Investment is key to economic growth. We could enjoy now the pleasures that funds can bring. Sometimes we put some of that money into projects we hope will bring us future gain.

The ASI is often described as centre-right because of its neoliberal approach to trade and its emphasis on markets and competition. It is far from a populist outlook that is anti-immigrant, anti-drugs, anti-lifestyle choice and traditionalist moral values.

In a famous, some might say infamous, interview for Woman’s Own in 1987, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher declared:

Taxes on goods and services, including labour, make them more expensive. Other things being equal, on the margins people will tend to consume less of them.

President Trump has made a fighting start to his second term. Executive orders have flown thick and fast from the Oval Office. Meanwhile Elon Musk’s new Department, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has shown equal speed in tackling what it sees as wasteful or unnecessary federal activity.